(AP Photo) What a joke. Did Bush hire Frank Luntz to come up with a new phrase or something?
President Bush and Iraq’s prime minister have agreed to set a “general time horizon” for bringing more U.S. troops home from the war, a dramatic shift from the administration’s once-ironclad unwillingness to talk about any kind of deadline or timetable.
The announcement Friday put Bush in the position of offering to talk with Iraqi leaders about a politically charged issue that he adamantly has refused to discuss with the Democratic-led Congress at home. It also could complicate the presidential campaign arguments of Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama who have staked out starkly opposite stands about the unpopular war.
Bush repeatedly has vetoed legislation approved by Congress setting deadlines for American troop cutbacks…read on
It might be ‘very vague and nebulous,’ but it is the complete opposite of anything the White House has ever said about Iraq before. I love the timing of it all. Wait for Obama to go overseas and spring it on us…Classic Rovian tactics.
No Trackbacks To “Bush Now Agrees To Timetable on Iraq Withdrawal: ‘General Time Horizon’“
WTF?
These guys have no soul. Now who’s playing politics and games with lives? I hope the MSM calls them on this blatant attenpt by the WH to influence the election by reversing course, cutting and running now that it’s political suicide to stay the course.
I forgot who said it, but they said it best when they said that George Bush beat McCain in 2000, and George Bush is going to beat McCain in 2008. What’s the over-under of McCain having a flashback on Bush by January?
John McCain spent all of 2004 - 2006 trying to suck up to George Bush and appeal to the Conservatives. As soon as he win the nomination, Bush starts “refining” his positions to reflect Obama’s on McCain’s strongest issue: Foreign Policy. I mean, if the media wasn’t Obama obsessed, they wouldn’t be missing this great drama playing out before our eyes between Bush and McCain.
Liar - any thing to try and make a good pre-election impression
Now he’s a Nazi appeaser.
Bush, Cheney, — The whole administration has no credibility.
Both have lied to the American public in the past and they will go on lying.
Both of them tried to advance the NeoConservative world view which has since been proven false and destructive.
I bet Limbaugh and Hannity are gonna shit on Bush for this [/chortle]
Yes, because it’s not like Obama will get that news while he’s gone and make a statement or something. What a bunch of complete idiots.
The Prime Minister of Iraq is calling for a 5 year timetable for withdrawal. Candidate Obama proposes a 16 month timetable. President Obama, after consultations with Gen. Petraeus and the Iraq govt, will compromise and commit to a 3 1/2 year period of withdrawal.
This guy (Bush) is such a 5-year-old. They can’t use the term “timetable” because that’s what the Dems have been calling for and to agree to that now would mean “losing” to the Dems (which we all know the Repugs can NEVER, EVER let happen). So what do they do? They come up with a new term, Time Horizon, (ooh, ahh) and now, with their shiny new term they’re not caving to what the Dems have been saying all along, they’re blazing their own trail. Jeez, I think I’m gonna puke!
NEOCON assklown
Bush is the total idiot. Now he will talk with Iran but not with John McCain.
Conservatives and their Fox News friends will forever fuck the American Middle Class.
and the last u.s. soldier in iraq will be withdrawn on november 3, 2008. that’s my “general time horizon.”
The dems when they took over wanted a time line, and bush vetoed it, repeatedly. I wonder if they had called it a “time horizon” they could have gotten is passed. What a joke.
Apparently a time horizon won’t embolden the enemy like a timetable would have.
BTW over 1000 troops have died since bush vetoed the time lines.
Evidently their PR people are getting really desperate. I would prefer the ‘General Event Horizon’ since it has more umph to it, but I suppose there are copyright matters to consider.
Actually, Bush is referring to an upcoming Jean Claude Van Damme film about a Vietnam soldier who travels back to 1972 to avenge his fallen comrades. Van Damme’s character is named “General Time Horizon” and he really kicks those Khmer Rouge bastids in the gonads. Bang! Pow! Swoosh!
Perhaps Obama will try and steal Bush’s thunder by telling the nation and the world when he plans on setting a timetable for removing those troops, which he proposes to shift from Iraq, to that other abattoir in the so-called “good war” in Afghanistan.
“general time horizon”
Do you hear that? It’s Orwell spinning and shitting in his grave from newspeak envy.
T minus 185 days and counting…his timing is impeccable.
I think I’m going to be sick…
is this General Tim Horizon taking over for General Petraeus or something??
So Bush is calling a timetable for withdrawal a “time horizon” and benchmarks “aspirations.” What a fucking child he is that he can’t admit he was wrong!
You do realize that you can never actually reach the horizon, I think that phrase accurately desribes the Bush/McCain policy of the last 5 years where we have always been rounding the corner and making gains, victory and “winning” always being at the horizon.
cg the 2nd @ 7:
Pigface and Hannity will agree with it because they are tools. And the followers will support what they say like the sheep they are.
It’s another goddamned game of semantics. PLEEEZE, reporters… DON’T call it a “General Time Horizon.”
THAT’s STUPID AS HELL.
Call it a TIMETABLE. Because that’s what it is… a TIMETABLE.
Joel @ 21:
i’ve been ill for eight fxxking years i’ve had with incompetent clown….frinkin’ extremist born again nut
Wonderful. The Great Decider has decided to become the Great Bean Counter.
We cannot get accountability, but shall have accounting terminology.
He’s desperate… about his legacy.
they are trying to say that obama is bush’s 3rd term… so, to make this total bullshit look true, bush is changing his policy to be in sync with obama’s.
Got that?
They are linking bush to obama. want change? mclame.
lol
it’s so fuckin stupid it just might work.
Reno @ 30:
i’m confused they said carter and now like bush they don’t what they’re talking about
While I want there to be a time-frame for removing our children for Iraq, I believe “time horizon” to be a whole buncha weasel-words.
Shrubbie is still a douchebag.
ThatIsAll
Beam me up, Scotty
Don’t believe any of this crap. Biden assists the monkey in his lie. It’s a diversion just like all the other times.
veto,signing statements and executive privilege
his favorite weapon(s) of his enemy
Reno @ 30:
“it’s so fuckin stupid it just might work.”
This sums up the boosh policy for everything in last 8 years (ending up as a complete failure, of course)
They got their Oil now.
Fucking Flip Flopper coke whore
Making a negative issue for McCain, a positive.
The horizon is always fading in the distance though…….is this Condi-like democracy birth pangs?
Did we win?
“Aah’m lookin’ forward to workin’ with General Time Horizon in forgin’ a new strategy to win Iraq. General Horizon has served this country honorably with great honor, and we honor this.”
And I bet if any Democrat spoke about a time “horizon” FAUX news would be hyperventilating overthemselves screaming treason.
dada @ 29:
No need for him to worry about that, it’s already set: DEATH, DEBT, DISGRACE
Incredible.!!!! Too little too late for this incredibly obtuse man. What he did not do for the last seven years he is trying to do now!!! @#@$#$@$@ IDIOT. I guess He finally realized that his legacy is nothing but physical, economic, psichological and national bankrupcy. interesting that with 6 months left he’s finally negotiating with Iran and seting up a timetable. at least he’s trying to fix his legacy. too little too late though.
Bush refuses to set a timetable, declare war, escalate the war, spy on Americans, or torture or cover up crimes. But he will set a General Time Horizon declare a War on Terror, add a Surge, start a Terrorist Surveillance Program and introduce Enhanced Interrogation Techniques, which are all covered by the executive privilege.
Required @ 43:
DISASTER and DESTRUCTION
So is a time horizon, like the actual horizon, you know something you move toward and never reach, damn time horizon is always out there in the future.
The Ministry of Truth has been working overtime.
Reno @ 30:
And Obama is changing his policies to be in sync with Bush’s.. ..faith based initiatives, FISA…
Vote McSame for change! Could work.
“Eve of destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors,
Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills,
Hippies moving to the hills. People all over the world are shouting, ‘End the war.’
And the band played on.”
Ball of Confusion by the Temptations 1970
38 years and the ball is still rolling.
Roket @ 16:
I like “event horizon” too, because it reminds every smart person what a black hole Iraq has been for this country. Unfortunately there is a chorus of the stupid who will be chirping about this the way they are blurting to the same sheet of “Drill now Pay less” Halliburxxon muzak. Deny the vote to the terminally stupid.
Machiavellian = Rovian
I can’t stand the guy, but it’s good to see he’s finally come to his senses.
Did W just “appease” the terrorists?
So have we killed them all over there so we don’t have to kill them all over here W? Or are we finished freeing the Iraqi people from this world and into the afterlife? Have we set up a democracy as corrupt as ours over there (banana puppet republic)? And is the electricity on yet all over Baghdad? I mean, well…it’s only been five and a half years.
Are the troops who have failed to protect our freedoms here while they were fighting to protect them over there going to come back here so they can continue to fail in protecting our freedoms here? Or will they be shipped to Afghanistan in a surge so the troops can fail to protect our freedoms here while they are making sure they kill them all over there so we don’t have to kill them here? So if we already declared “mission accomplished” over five years ago, should we say it again? Just like we did in Vietnam…only different. In this case it looks as though we will declare victory and stay. After all, we nearly bankrupted the country so Halliburton could build those crappy fortresses or bases or greenzone thingy or whatever. What, are we just to abandon them so we can’t continue to guard Exxon employees and OUR oil?
Or are the troops being pulled out so they can come here are help W cement his kingdom by placing us all under martial law? After all, martial law is just like a democracy…only different. Maybe W and Cheney will just hire Blackwater to round us up and kill us off if the troops are sent to Afghanistan in a surge to kill the evildoers in the Axis of Evil. Is the Pentagon working on a no-bid contract with them or will Halliburton step in and obtain the prize?
You know, I just can’t keep up with all these sound bites.
Ever notice that Bush always uses perfect lexicon to say exactly what he means? Horizon, he takes one step towards it and magically he is never any closer to reaching it. The horizons actual distance away always remains constant, one can neither get closer nor further.
Why does Bush want to “cut and run”?
the last skunk @ 54:
It’s something like the rainbow analogy. Even if you get to the end of the rainbow and find the pot of gold, you have to get past the evil little bitch of a Leprechaun. In other words, it’s a fairy tale and doesn’t mean squat.
“Bush wants to withdraw, Obama wants to withdraw. ZOMG, OBAMA IS A CONTINUATION OF BUSH!”
If this is their strategy, it’s pathetic, even by Republican standards.